Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 40-21-4-.01 - Recertification Requirements and Commercial Applicator License Renewals

In order to insure that certified commercial pesticide applicators continue to meet the needs of changing technology necessary for the safe and effective use of pesticides, they shall be subject to recertification and licensing requirements as follows:

(a) Commercial Pesticide Applicators. All commercial pesticide applicators shall be licensed for a period of five years. All licenses shall be subject to renewal on the day following their expiration date, subject to licensee's completion of either option 1 or 2 below, and the payment of the twenty five (25) dollar renewal fee, when applicable. Those electing to be relicensed on the basis of earned training must have accumulated the required hours at least ninety (90) days prior to their license expiration date; otherwise, they will be required to pass a new written examination. No written examinations as a basis for relicensing may be taken more than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration date. The license of any person who has not completed the required training or passed a new written examination and paid any required fee prior to the expiration date, will be subject to a penalty of 50% and the renewal fee for such license shall be thirty seven (37) dollars and fifty (50) cents. Any license for which the renewal requirements have not been met within sixty (60) days after expiration shall be cancelled. The Commissioner may, as he deems necessary, provide commercial pesticide applicators with information on changes in pesticides and pesticide application technology and may require such applicators to acknowledge in writing that they have become familiar with such new information. The Commissioner may require such acknowledgements as a condition for renewal of their commercial pesticide applicator's license. In no event will a commercial certified applicator's license be renewed unless the applicator has been recertified through one of the following procedures:

1. Completion of training in each of the pest control categories in which he is currently certified and desires to retain certification as follows:

(i) Agricultural Plant	10 hours
(ii) Agricultural Animal	6 hours
(iii) Forest	6 hours
(iv) Ornamental and Turf	10 hours
(v) Seed Treatment	6 hours
(vi) Aquatic	6 hours
(vii) Right of Way	6 hours
(viii) Industrial, Institutional, Structural and Health Related	6 hours
(Excluding Pest Control operators regulated under the Georgia Structural Pest Control Act)
(ix) Public Health	10 hours
(x) Mosquito Control	10 Hours
(xi) Regulatory	6 hours

(xii) For those applicators also certified in Demonstration and Research, and Aerial methods, the hours of training required for the primary categories (i) through (xi) above, may consist of any combination of hours divided between training in the primary category and training in Demonstration and Research and/or Aerial Methods. Any training credited toward recertification must be approved by and assigned a value for credit hours by the Commissioner of Agriculture prior to presentation. Such training may consist of grower meetings, seminars, short courses and other private or publicly sponsored training programs.

2. Satisfactory passing of a written examination administered by the Commissioner of Agriculture.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 40-21-4-.01

O.C.G.A. Sec. 2-7-90, et seq.

Original Rule entitled "Recertification Requirements and Commercial Applicator License Renewals" was filed on July 10, 1978; effective July 30, 1978. Amended: Rule repealed and a new Rule of the same title adopted. Filed March 3, 1982; effective March 23, 1982. Amended: F. Apr. 19, 1999; eff. May 9, 1999. Amended: F. June 21, 2010; eff. July 11, 2010. Amended: F.Jul. 23, 2013; eff. Aug. 12, 2013.